1911 J Allen, Roosevelt on Concealing Coloration. 473 



also known to certain types of scientific and business temperaments, 

 and which when it manifests itself in business is as sure to bring 

 the owner into trouble as if he were guilty of deliberate misconduct." 

 He then takes up these alleged misstatements and devotes some 

 ten pages to them, criticising his pictures of the peacock, zebra, 

 chickadee at nesting-hole, oyster-catcher, wood duck, flamingoes, 

 spoonbills and ibises, and the accompanying text; also the "flank- 

 markings" of ducks, the head, bill and leg markings in rapacious 

 birds, and the effect of iridescence in birds. 



As an example of the comment on these alleged misstatements 

 we may cite (p. 131): "Again, Mr. Thayer says that the fact that 

 the scarlet tanager's coloration 'divides it into two things, a black 

 and a red thing,' shows that it is not 'meant to be conspicuous' 

 because in that case it would be a 'monocrome.' But the summer 

 red-bird and the cardinal are both monochrome! Mr. Thayer 

 simply forgets this, and forgets that the argument he advances to 

 show that one is inconspicuous, necessarily shows that the two 

 others are conspicuous. As a matter of fact, of course the plumage 

 of all three birds is highly advertising." In the way of general 

 comment, in this connection, he says: "Mr. Thayer's book is for 

 the most part filled with theories predicated upon observations 

 made under conditions which are designedly abnormal. Any 

 practical expert with colors knows that extraordinary effects can 

 •be wrought by a proper arrangement of lights and shadows. If 

 seen against the horizon under certain conditions of light, all 

 animals, no matter what their real color, will seem to be of the 

 same color; and no color can be imagined which will not become 

 inconspicuous, whether on an animal or off an animal, if against 

 certain backgrounds." 



The principle of countershading, as set forth by Mr. Thayer, is 

 next considered, and admitted as a discovery of real merit, but 

 " although important as a coloristic law, has a very limited appli- 

 cation among birds and mammals so far as concealing them 

 is concerned ... .It does, however, I believe, play a certain 

 small part, in some cases, even with birds and mammals, and 

 possibly a far greater part with lower forms of life; and Mr. 

 Thayer is entitled to full credit for calling attention to this fact. 

 Unfortunately as regards mammals and birds, he has given it a 



